Archive for the ‘personal’ Category

TEDx Brisbane next weekend.

Saturday, February 27th, 2010

So TEDx Brisbane is almost here and they have just released the Speaker List and it is a cracker. This is going to be a great TED event and right in our back yard. Very sad if you are a TED fan that missed out. I can sympathize with you as Urban Grind in partnership with Di Bella Coffee is sponsoring the event with free coffees for attendees which means that I will be lucky to see any of the talks on the day. I am honoured to be able to support such an event as this but have you seen that speaker list? It is going to be an inspiring day. And we have Carl Lindgren & Paul Fairweather to thank. They have done an amazing job putting it all together.

If you do have a ticket. Be sure to get there early and register first. Once registered you can head down to the Ideas Worth Spreading Tent and get a free coffee. Coffee will also be offered free for both morning tea and lunch time breaks.

To get in the mood for TEDx you could check out this amazing talk by Aimee Mullins. Such an amazing women.

“Adversity is just change that we have not adapted to yet.”

Aimee Mullins: The opportunity of adversity

Posted in alternative media, design, environment, friends, inspiring, local community, personal, urban grind | No Comments »

Surprise!

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

I just read a short story about throwing a surprise birthday party on a train. It made me so happy that my eyes watered and I wanted to share it with you too. The idea of strangers in a small room like a train carriage reminded me of Urban Grind – Paddington and West End. I am going to suggest it before you do. Urban Grind on a train carriage could be very cool. Anyway, one of the things I always tried to do at Urban Grind was to start conversations. My best Urban Grind days were the ones where I could stand back and look at the room and everyone was so engrossed in conversation that it was noisy and I didn’t matter. And honestly the worst days were the ones where the room would be full but virtually silent – uncomfortable. No energy, lifeless.

Surprise! by Improv Everywhere. Well worth the read.

Posted in design, family, friends, funny, inspiring, local community, peace, personal, urban grind | No Comments »

Happy New Year 2010

Sunday, January 10th, 2010

For a long time now I have been very proud that Urban Grind has been successful but for longer than many might realise I have also been aware that Urban Grind has been unsustainable. In retrospect only, that would seem like things for Urban Grind are not good but in fact they are better than ever. Urban Grind is in my heart and if you know me well enough you will know that it has been a personal journey for me, not just a business. And it’s not over yet.

So as you might be aware by now Urban Grind New Farm closed it’s doors at the end of 2009 and will not be re-opening at the beggining of 2010. It’s time for a break and a regrouping. In simple terms this is not the end of Urban Grind. It is going to take us a little while to regroup but we are working on our return and will be back better than ever.

I have learnt a lot from my mistakes over the years and along the way I have discovered other directions in which I want to take Urban Grind. I can’t wait to re-open Urban Grind and show you what I am talking about. In the meantime I will keep this website/blog going. I will also be working at the Di Bella Factory which is going to be great. Obviously I love Di Bella coffee as I have been serving it for about 8 years now. I also have a good friendship and a great respect for Philip Di Bella so I look forward to working more closely with him.

For me Urban Grind is more than just trying to make great coffee. Of course that is really important as anything less would be just embarrassing, but for me Urban Grind is a way of life and an experience that I want to keep having. Only one thing has made this experience as wonderful as it has been and that is people, and the amazing relationships we were able to have with them. From the single moments with a stranger that have taught me life lessons, to the life long friends we made, Urban Grind has been about the interaction of people – community. To all in this community I am most grateful for your help, your willingness to interact, your bravery to be yourselves and to challenge yourselves. There would not be enough pixels on this computer to properly thank everyone that has meant something to me over these years. But to Rachel my loving partner, Urban Grind would have never been without you. To Adz, Brendan, Carl, my brother Dan & Sophie, in particular – Thank you. To so many more – Thank you.

Now in looking forward, lets keep in touch.
twitter
facebook
blog rss/email
mailing list
0408 10 11 40
email – it’s in the picture

Posted in customers, family, friends, local community, personal, urban grind | 11 Comments »

Hope, World Leaders and Us

Sunday, August 23rd, 2009

Awesome. This guys speech gives me hope. First Obama now this guy. Surely Australia can’t be far off leadership like this.

At first I think that this guy must have been a past Prime Minister and was so surprised to find out that he is the current. Gordon Brown’s speech is far from political spin. It talks practically and wisely about the future. How problems like climate change will need a global effort and how we need to be structuring ourselves towards this effort. I found his talk very inspiring. He doesn’t talk like a politician – he talks like a man that can understand a problem and formulate a solution that includes concerns far beyond his own political party or personal political aspirations.

But what does this say about us? I said, first Obama, now this guy. I feel like something is happening/changing and it must be us. Men like these exist all the time, You probably know or have at least heard of one. Check out TED.com if you haven’t. I heard it said once that Hitler emerged as a leader because the mindset of the people allowed him too. I hesitate to call it democracy as I am not so sure that is what we have in our country nor is it the force I think which is at play, but I do believe it to be true that leaders emerge when the people are ready. But the kind of leader, is determined by the mindset of the people. At elections it feels as though there are no Obamas or Gordon Browns to choose from in Australia. Are we ready for such leaders? If they did emerge would we recognise them? I think we like to think in business terms in Australia, especially when it comes to politics. Maybe the leaders I dream of don’t see a market for their kind of leadership just now?

When I think of Australia and leadership as it relates to the rest of the world I see Australia having a wonderful opportunity to play a leading role as we face the challenges that lie ahead. My reasons are derived from the following 2 quotes.

“People who have wild ideas about how to run the earth ought to start with a small garden” – Ahmed Kathrada

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead

Posted in alternative media, environment, inspiring, personal, politics | 2 Comments »

Good day today.

Friday, July 24th, 2009

Today I was reminded of a few things. What goes around comes around. It is safe to trust people. And you can never judge a book buy it’s cover.

Took my son down to the local hardware today to get a few small things and upon reaching the counter I turned to Oscar, my son and exclaimed “Oh no I forgot my wallet!”. Instantly the guy in front of us said don’t worry I will pay for it. I didn’t hesitate and said thanks because the best advice ever given to me was to “Never deny someone the opportunity to give.” – Nigel Reed. David, the generous man in line told me how he had once filled his car with petrol, then at the counter realised he had no money only to be surprised by a women willing to pay the whole bill. He said that he is now always on the look out to keep paying such a kind act forward. It reminded me that when you do a good thing for a person or a bad thing against a person it gets multiplied which is why you should do good things. A random act of kindness really wakes something up in people I think and it will be a feeling they will want others to experience. If you have never seen the movie Pay it Forward I highly recommend it.

Earlier in the day I had another wonderful encounter with a customer that had returned to pay her bill after what must have been at least six weeks. I have a personal policy of trusting that if people don’t have the cash on them or they only have card I trust them and ask them to simply fix us up when it is next convenient for them. So far everyone has returned as far as I know as I don’t keep a record each time and I usually forget moments later that this person still ‘owes’ us. It’s a nice place to be in cause it kind of means for me that I get to live in a world where everyone is trust worthy and my personal theory goes that you can’t trust people if you never give them the opportunity to be trustworthy. I know some have abused this but that’s ok cause the percentage is so low that I could probably only name one person in nearly 8 years of Urban Grind. Anyway… six weeks ago I declared to my awesome (just as her she will tell you herself) assistant that this particular women has obviously scammed us and is never coming back. But such is life yadda yadda. She had been so vague the first time that she came into the shop and we just couldn’t work her out and I guess the experience made us wonder a bit as to what was going on and we started to get sus. Then she came up to pay and only had card, no cash and while I said sure just fix us up later I honestly thought that she was never coming back. I didn’t trust her. Today she walks in and I pretend I don’t remember her, but I do and she asks for a coffee and would like to fix up her bill from last time she was in Brisbane. How is that the first time I am so sure I couldn’t trust someone I am wrong. So I get talking to her cause now she’s cool you know, I trust her and I can treat her like everyone else (I just called myself a tosser so you don’t need to) and she mentions that she doesn’t come into the cities much or something like that and now I am getting the sense that maybe her being a bit vague was actually her way of just finding her way around slowly. She has actually been so patient the first time that she waited like 20 minutes for the line to die down before ordering. Maybe I can go easy on myself for thinking that is strange as so many people these days are impatient and pressed for time.

This is not the first time that I have found that it only takes about a maximum of 2 questions to start to get to know someone. If you think you know someone on sight, inquire, you will be so wrong unless you are gifted. I once thought one of my customers once was an obvious bum until I asked he once what he does and it turns out he was a retired physics professor in a field that I had never heard of and these days he just likes to tent to his garden. Speak to people, they have stories that will out do your assumptions.

Posted in customers, friends, inspiring, local community, peace, personal, urban grind | 4 Comments »

The Buddy Holly Story

Wednesday, May 6th, 2009

Last weekend we went to see The Buddy Holly Story and while it is not usually the kind of thing that we would find ourselves at, we loved it. It was a great fun show. And a really interesting story considering that the guy’s career was only 18 months long before he died. If you get a chance to do so get along and see it. The guy that plays Buddy is really good. Oh and when they ask you to participate please do. I had to yell a bit too loud to make up for our quiet crowd.

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I want one of everything.

Thursday, March 12th, 2009

We have a wonderful son Oscar that just turned 3 and this year he got mostly wooden toys from the Plan Toys toy company. Plan toys are made from renewable timbers and use non-toxic glues and paints. The quality and detail makes the adults want to play too. Each box comes with a little catalogue and I kid you not, the adults were fighting over it as they announced their wish-lists. There might be other toy shops that stock these but we have been getting ours from Crackerjack For Good Toys Balmoral, Shop 3/208- 216 Riding Rd 07 3399 4444.

We are keen to remove plastic toys from our lives and have been exploring things like Plan Toys. Oscar also has a fair bit of LEGO, but my research is have trouble concluding whether LEGO is toxic or not. If anyone can help me work this out that would be great. Thanks.

Posted in design, environment, family, local community, personal | 3 Comments »

Adam Sebastian West at Kiln

Monday, March 2nd, 2009

Many Urban Grind customers probably know Adam Sebastian West as he has been hanging around for years. About 7 years now. He is a wonderful friend of mine and a great photographer. You can check out his photography on the Zenstick Website or this Friday night the 6th of March you can see his latest work as part of the Sea City Sky group exhibition at KILN Gallery. The show runs from the 6th – 29th of March. For more details check out www.kiln.com.au.

Posted in customers, friends, local community, personal | 1 Comment »

map magazine readers survey

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008

You may not know, but I do a bit of work with map magazine on their websites. I consider myself very lucky to have an opportunity to contribute to positive media. I love map magazine and I know that many of you do because we get over 100 copies each month and they all disappear in the first 2 weeks. No other mag or street press moves even close to that fast. So if you have been loving map now is your chance to let them know you care and help them out by participating in the map magazine reader survey 08/09.

Posted in alternative media, friends, inspiring, local community, personal | No Comments »

I love Organic Cotton

Monday, November 10th, 2008

My first Organic Cotton T-Shirt was an Inhabitat.com shirt, which my partner Rachel lovingly brought back from New York. So soft and comfortable. For my birthday today amongst some awesome books I received another Organic Cotton T-Shirt but this time from an Australian company which has some very cool designs. I want one of everything. The picture above is the one I recieved. If you want a soft comfortable shirt that happen to look really good too, then you have to check out www.kindling.com.au

As a side note. If you have smelly feet try cotton socks. I walk in puddles if I wear anything but cotton socks. I have never owned organic cotton socks but swear by natural fibres for my feet. Now I must find some organic socks.

Posted in Links, environment, personal | No Comments »

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